1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus, a driving method thereof, and a computer-readable recording medium, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus which may reduce power consumption, a driving method thereof, and a computer-readable recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus performs image forming jobs, such as generating, printing, receiving, and transmitting image data, and examples of an image forming apparatus include a printer, a scanner, a copy machine, a fax machine, and a Multi-Function Peripheral (MFP) which performs the above functions in a single device.
Recently, security has become important in our society and thus, an image forming apparatus is supporting security-related functions. Accordingly, if a printing command is received from an external apparatus, an image forming apparatus performs authentication for the apparatus or a user of the apparatus.
A conventional image forming apparatus cannot perform such an authentication operation in a power saving mode. Specifically, a recent image forming apparatus has a separate auxiliary CPU which operates with low power in order to reduce power consumption, and if a response to a state request or a printing command is input from an external apparatus, the auxiliary CPU merely performs the function of waking up a main CPU. Accordingly, if a printing command is received in a power saving mode, the auxiliary CPU wakes up the main CPU, and the main CPU performs the authentication operation.
As such, the conventional image forming apparatus cannot perform the authentication operation in the power saving mode, and thus even in the case where a printing operation is not performed as a printing command is received from a user or an apparatus which is not authenticated, the image forming apparatus is woken up, consuming power unnecessarily.
A recent image forming apparatus has become highly sophisticated and comprises a plurality of non-volatile memories, but the conventional image forming apparatus manages power states of a plurality of non-volatile memories. Accordingly, even when a simple printing operation (specifically, an operation which can be performed without driving all of the non-volatile memories) is performed, all of the memories are operated, causing unnecessary power consumption.